– Basketball players shock France and dream of a medal
Dramatic Crime Thriller with Happy Ending: Germany’s handball team continued their winning streak at the Olympics, clinching a place in the medal round with a victory over European champions and Olympic title holders FranceIn front of a fiery handball crowd of around 27,000 spectators, coach Alfred Gislason’s team demonstrated their gold medal ambitions by beating the hosts Lille 35:34 (29:29, 14:17) after extra time.
Trailing by six goals at the start of the second half and with only one goal and possession in the final seconds of regulation time, Germany looked destined for defeat. However, Renars Uscins scored the equaliser in the dying seconds. The young star was Germany’s top scorer with 14 goals.
Germany lost to France at both the European Championship in January and last year’s World Championship. With their first competitive win over France since 2013, the German team also avenged the DHB women’s team, who lost to the French in the round of 16 the day before.
The first medal for the German handball team at a major tournament since the bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016 is now within reach. In the semifinal on Friday, the team led by point guard Juri Knorr will face Spain, who defeated Egypt in extra time. In the group stage, the DHB team won 33:31 against the Spaniards, securing a place in the knockout phase.
France’s exit also marks the end of the career of three-time world handball champion Nikola Karabatic. The 40-year-old star, who won three Olympic gold medals and four world championships in his trophy-filled career, is retiring for good.
Football Atmosphere with Whistle
A German victory was already in the air before the match started. Confidence was high, not seen in a long time, especially after Gislason’s team had won a friendly match against France in July. But this time, the DHB team was playing against an entire country. The atmosphere at the OSC football stadium Lille was even more intense than the women’s team match. Many German games were accompanied by boos from the crowd.
The German defense lacked presence in the early stages. At the same time, goalkeeper Andreas Wolff was disappointing, allowing the hosts to easily score off the line. In attack, playmaker Knorr and right winger Uscins were bold, but the efficiency was poor. In addition, France goalkeeper Vincent Gerard saved more than ten shots in the first half alone. Only when David Späth replaced Wolff in the German goal did the team’s performance improve.
Unsporting Conduct by French Professional
The heated atmosphere in the crowd was also felt on the pitch. French starting player Dika Mem was fortunate to only receive a two-minute suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct against Uscins. After Uscins was already down, Mem pushed him down again.
In front of IOC President Thomas Bach, the DHB team recovered from a six-goal deficit (14:20) after half-time and scored a late equalizer in the final seconds. The extra time remained dramatic, but the German team had the best ending.
In the post-match press conference, German coach Alfred Gislason expressed his joy at finally overcoming France’s supremacy in handball, calling the victory a significant step towards his gold medal ambitions.
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2024-08-07 14:13:05
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